After five quarterfinal fights, the competition has taken a physical toll on the UFC hopefuls. Jason Pierce‘s foot is screwed up from kicking Steve Berger’s ass so hard in the elimination round. Richie Whitson has an infection on his face that’s NOT HERPES. David Faulkner has an infection in his leg after epically failing during a sledge/tire exercise. Cameron Dollar contracts a bad case of crybabybitch-itis. But the show must go on, and these ragged warriors must pull themselves together. Last night’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter featured the TUF 9 coaches’ challenge, another lightweight battle, and no less than two complete mental breakdowns. Let’s get to it…

Team U.S. lightweight Richie Whitson has caught a nasty-looking baterial infection on his face, and Jason Pierce is completely freaked out. "I will not hesitate to put a stake through your heart," Pierce says, spraying disinfectant over every inch of the house. "That shit scares me." Later in a confessional, he says "it’s tough when you encounter something new and foreign." Infections, British people — it’s a little too much to handle for JP, who now speaks with a faraway, beaten sound in his voice. He’s cracking. He’s also in serious agony from a foot injury, which doesn’t bode well as he’ll eventually be facing foot-lock expert David Faulkner. "Walk it off," says Dr. Dan Henderson after a clash during practice leaves Pierce doubled over in pain.

Meanwhile in the Team U.K. camp, Michael Bisping brings out some exotic training equipment — a sledge-hammer and a tire — which the guys have clearly never seen before. The hammer goes into the mats, into the floor, into Faulkner’s leg, pretty much everywhere but the tire. Faulkner’s hammer-injury makes his leg swell up with infection, negating his health-advantage over Pierce.

Speaking of Pierce, the dude is going full psycho. He gets pissy with his coaches (who can’t stand him at this point), drinks water like a crazy person, and quits practice after a group pep talk from Cyrille Diabate about negativity that was pretty much directed at him. Jason’s teammates like him even less than his coaches. They congregate in a downstairs room, dubbed "The Bash Room," to vent about him. Jason Dent and Jason Pierce bond over the fact that they’re not shit-talkers (or the fact that nobody likes them, whichever).

The coaches’ challenge is often a highlight of each season of TUF — but not so much this time. The game is tennis, which Henderson kind of sucks at, and Bisping has never played. After Dana shows off the cardboard box full of cash, Ultimate Wimbledon begins. Bisping gets ruined, 6-2. "Stick your tennis up your ass," he says. "I’ll see you on July 11. We’ll do it like men." Bisping is also salty about Damarques Johnson‘s trash-talk during the game, and tells his welterweights that one of them better shut Damarques’s big mouth, or he’ll have to do it himself.

With fight selections back to the Redcoats, Bisping picks Ross Pearson vs. Richie "Flying Herpnado" Whitson, giving Faulkner more time to recover. We learn a little more about Richie. He’s a commercial fisherman from Alaska, and trains at Team Quest, so he hasn’t had to adjust to new coaches like the other guys.

That night, following a drinking binge, Cameron freaks out. He starts crying about missing his family and wanting to go home so he can pay some bills. "I wish I had a better relationship with my parents," he says. (LOL pussy!) Cyrille and Frank Lester do their best to chill him out, but Cameron could probably use a professional therapist.

Ross Pearson becomes the first Brit to show emotion on the show, choking up as he discusses how much he wants to fight in the UFC. His team is confident that he’ll be the better fighter. In practice, Bisping advises him not to brawl; the gameplan is for Ross to keep his hands tight, and get in and out.

Richie gets off first during the fight, popping some kicks and landing an elbow in a clinch. Ross returns fire, throwing a kick that blows Richie’s hair back, then scores a takedown. Richie quickly gets up. Ross charges forward with punches, landing a few, then clocks Richie with a knee. Ross scores another takedown, but then throws a knee into Richie’s face while his knees were down, prompting Herb Dean to jump in and deduct a point. Richie’s a tough kid and doesn’t seem too affected by the illegal blow.

When the action is resumed, Bisping shouts at Ross to let his hands go because Richie is scared. After some wild exchanges, Ross slams Richie to the mat, lands a knee while Richie is getting up, and slams Richie down again, immediately taking his back. Ross is too high on Richie’s back to set up a choke, but when Richie tries to slip out, Ross pounces on Richie’s arm and pulls off a rather-brilliant armbar submission. It’s now 4-2 Team U.K., and the two Jasons are the Americans’ only hope of evening the score. God help them.

Cagepotato Comments

Showing 1-25 of comments

Did it ever occur to you that the UFC may have made a conscious effort to stack the UK team while pulling second rate fighters from the US? The UK is a major revenue source for the UFC, and I doubt you Brits would like watching a show where every guy on Team UK got his ass beat. Even thinking that the UK is comparable in any way to the best fighters the US has is laughable. Stop pretending that because you have Bisping MMA is actually a developed sport over the pond.

MethLabTechnician- May 16, 2009 at 12:50 pm

I like you Kirky, will you be my BFF?

Kirky- May 16, 2009 at 5:41 am

Big words win arguements, I've no idea what a good 5th of that says.

MethLabTechnician- May 15, 2009 at 7:13 pm

Ha! and you can carry on with your soccer stadium singing faggotry and your "wanking in a Hatton wonderland," or how the fuck ever that little ditty goes. Point still remains your a ex imperialist powerhouse turned flaccid shit house country with with second string fighters. I bet Dana and Co. Could find some spandex wearing Savat fighters that could school you dental hygiene deficient douches. Oh and make fun of our patriotic chants, but don't you ever, and I say EVER mock us and our beloved ass grabbing. After scoring that touchdown or hitting that grand slam a man has rightfully earned a half dozen slaps on the ass.

Now all fun aside. Sure we are much larger a country, but you would think the UK's population is large enough that you scurvy having bastards could come up with atleast half a dozen good fighters. I guess after you lost your position as the Naval super power, all you really have left is the rum, the sodomy and the lash.

I got a great Idea why don't you douches turn the Falkland Islands into a premier MMA training paradise(you still claim ownership of those right??). Its like super close to Brazil and everything. Imagine the possibilities?!?!

Kirky- May 15, 2009 at 8:13 am

And the fact that America is about 50x the size of Britain doesnt come in to it? Get over yourself. go back to your gay U-S-A Chants and your arse grabbing, wanker.

MethLabTechnician- May 14, 2009 at 10:16 pm

And yet, the Brits in their first season in TUF look like a bunch of Bush league bench warmers. At least it took the Americans a good 8 seasons to have their talent pool depleted. When the best thing to come out of the UK is that blue blooded bitch ass Bisping its really saying something. Now that I think about it, the best fighters in the Wolfsair gym aint even from the UK. So take great pleasure in your victory you Union Jackoffs. It really says allot when the cream of the UK crop can barely break through guys at the bottom of our barrel. But its cool, you guys have Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatto.... oh wait scratch that last one.

BackbaconBilly- May 14, 2009 at 8:51 pm

Bisping continues to spiral down into the depths of doucheville with his latest tennis tantrum, his likeableness as a coach has completely eroded the man is just a dick plain and simple. Now the question is where the hell do they find these babies? this germ-a-phobe Pierce is the biggest sulking whiner yet walkin around sprayin that shit everywhere, what a total loser, then he cuts training early!! guy needs to be turfed off the show along with his cry-baby fellow american " I miss my family" boo fukin hoo,suck it up buncha spoiled friggin brats. Can't wait for the U.K team to win. Is this really the best America has to offer these days??? man the standards have fallen.

MethLabTechnician- May 14, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Hey GPN, I hope you are enjoying this. I mean, after all if you placed these limey fucks against almost any other season of Americans from former Tuf casts the record would probably be standing at a nice 5-1 or even a clean sweep from us Yanks. I doubt you would have a talent pool strong enough to be this successful if placing the two countries head to head in another season. I mean shit, from where I stand I see no future K-Flo's, Sanchez's, Koscheck's or even Leben(LOL) caliber fighters among their ranks. Not to mention the Quest to find his way off the canvas that Hendo will inevitably be having the Countess embark upon. Good times!

GPN- May 14, 2009 at 12:34 pm

Hey Dojima *cough* 4-2 *cough*

Plus there's not as many tears before bedtime from the English.

IronClad- May 14, 2009 at 11:11 am

I hope Hendo whoops on Bisping badly.

I thought the fight between Whitson and pit bull Pearson was pretty good. The whole knee to Whitson while down was bullshit but a mistake fueled by nerves and adrenaline. Pearson is crazy and has mad talent. He will be a handful for anyone.

I thought that Whitson kid was a super mellow good guy and he appears to have a lot of talent so hopefully he shines when UFC puts him on a Fight Night card.

As for Team USA's Jason Pierce, that guy is a total cry baby bitch. He should be at home watching golf sipping an Arnold Palmer rather than in a house full of killers. Fuck that guy, he finds an excuse for everything, walks off of practices and is to negative. He probably wont end up fighting anyway cuse he's "such good freinds with Faulkner". Give me a break, you just meet the guy and your blood brothers? Pierce is a total bitch and Ill laugh when he get's his dentures smashed in

Dojima- May 14, 2009 at 10:47 am

HAH! With the sledgehammer and tire routine, Bisping totally just cemented the fact that most men from the UK are estrogen-filled sissies with vaginas and weak wrists.

Canadian Chronic- May 14, 2009 at 10:06 am

Bisping is such a bitch. He talks about getting inside the other guys' head with his smack talk, part of his intellectual mind fuck game. But when the shoe is on the other foot, how unprofessional and the guy should just shout his mouth! Fuck you Bisping! If you're gonna dish it out, you'd better be able to take it, fukken pussy.

Thank GAWD, Hendo isn't playing into all this reality tv bullshit. He might walk away as the most respectable "reality tv personality" ever. If you want pre determined fabricated drama, go watch big bruddr or the bachelorette. Bitch.

AND, cam doolar is the biggest bitch i've ever seen step into the ring. Oh wait, I did catch the fight beween GSP and some fat guy from Hawaii...

Art Gibs- May 14, 2009 at 7:56 am

How lame is it that Bisping takes the piss the entire show, and then when someone hurls some barbs at him he whines like a little bitch?

Also, if the Jasons are America's only hope like CagePotato says, America is screwed.

TrouserSnout- May 14, 2009 at 7:18 am

We need a fight between Bisping and Tim Sylvia....2 of the most over rated goons in MMA.....

Capt. Shamrock- May 14, 2009 at 7:06 am

Maybe its because I grew up in England/Ireland, but to me, Bisping comes off as a joker, not an arsehole. If I took everything he said seriously, he would sound like a dick, but most, if not all of the time, he's just havin a laugh.

Hendo on the other hand, has all the personality of a tin of beans.

T1- May 14, 2009 at 7:03 am

Calling Cam a Pussy? What, was this recap written by TUF GUY?

^_-

Swedish- May 14, 2009 at 6:50 am

sorry TUF Guy and HAL that you couldn't be first

DbHK- May 14, 2009 at 6:49 am

Cameron Dollar = P4P GOAT.

Swedish- May 14, 2009 at 6:49 am

Bis'P'ing really comes off as a jerk on this show. Can't wait for Hendo to beat the living piss out of him